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Wearable tech was a noticeable trend at this year's CES, but the swelling attention wasn't just focused on the Cookoo and Pebble smart watches. Fitness tech like the Fitbit Flex wristband left me pleasantly surprised and eager to see it succeed where other personal fitness products have failed me.

First, some background: I rejoiced when 's Kinect was released because the onslaught of health software disguised as video games promised to get me into shape from the privacy of my living room. Unfortunately, even with the excellent EA Sports Active 2 from Electronic Arts, it turned out the comfort of my living room was a bit too cozy for Kinect's sensors to provide a reliable experience.

Then I turned to biking and RunKeeper, but using my smartphone wasn't an accurate way to gauge distance and calories burned because I live in an especially hilly area of Nevada.

The Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity and Sleep Wristband

Let me be clear: These products aren't failures. Rather, they've failed me because each person is unique and has vastly different goals and criteria for maintaining their personal health.

I spoke with Woody Scal of Fitbit, Inc. who shed some light on the explosion of Digital Health and Fitness. "The floorspace of the category at this year's CES is triple what it was last year," Scal said. "Everyone says to themselves 'Am I eating right? Am I getting enough exercise? How can I lose weight?' The reason this category is growing so quickly is that these are real issues."

Ironically, an activity formerly perceived as extremely sedentary is partially responsible for the success of Fitbit and its competitors. Scal explains: "In the last couple of years sensors like accelerometers and altimeters have gotten a lot better. The Wii is the first mass-market product that really used accelerometers and it drove the price way down." Fitbit's founder wanted to take that technology, miniaturize it, and apply it to the arena of health and fitness.